So, yeah, pretty disappointed.

Yep, the foot is still injured. So, I won't be running this Sunday. I am particularly sorry not to have been able to run for those who so generously donated to The Black Dog Institute. But, we will still be making a good contribution to their excellent work, so thank you for your support. Hopefully, see you next year!

Over and out.

Maddie Hobbles to the Couch

Hi there

Well, despite the online silence I have in fact been training quite hard.  I have really got my fitness up and the last few weekends have run up to 9 km.  However, you - with your excellent powers of deduction and having taken in the title of this post and the picture - will have arrived at the accurate conclusion that all is not peachy creamy in my running campaign. Again. Sigh.

Yes, I went for a run on Saturday (7.5km, if you're interested) and stupidly ignored a twinging pain in my right foot. Kids, don't run for 7.5 km while ignoring a twinging pain in your right foot.  By the end of the run the twinging pain had matured to a full blown yeoweeooowow. Turns out I have got a likely stress fracture in the 2nd metatarsal. That's the bone leading to the toe next to the big toe. It hurts. Ow.

Anyway, I'm hobbling about at the moment - can't walk on it. Should be walking again very soon, but won't be running for a while. The Bridge Run is in just under 4 weeks so I guess it's possible I could be fit again by then. I'm looking at trying deep water running, maybe next week if I'm up to it. According to a recent study at Curtin Uni (and others), it can keep your run-specific fitness well and truly up to scratch or even improve it. Basically, you get in the deep end of the pool wearing a flotation belt to hold you vertical, and then make a running motion*. Sounds idiotic. But if I can weather the social condemnation of the silly shoes, I can weather being the weirdo who runs in one place. In the pool. 

So for those of you who so generously donated to sponsor my run - I am working to earn that support! If I can't run, I plan to make a donation of my own to match those already made. But I'm hoping not to need to.

See you soon.

* Running motion. Running. Not runny. Got it?

Work out much?

Been travelling for work last couple of days so running has been a challenge. Gym workouts only. Here's a pic of me yesterday:

Mwahahaha. (Although, good on her - that would have taken some effort!)

More when I've actually got something to tell.

In the meantime: remember you can click here and support the vital mental health work of the Black Dog Institute. I've hit 25% of my target so far - thank you SO much to all who have donated!! Let's go for 125%...

The poshest pantry on the Peninsula

So last night I went to a charity dinner put on by my wonderful friend Tanya Caldwell-Eyles and her friend Wendy. They are climbing Mt Kilimanjaro to raise money for Cure Cancer Australia - who fund researchers looking for a cure for the big (hopefully soon to be little) C. Last night they would have raised well over $50,000 and their fundraising page so far has nearly $9,000 of donations with a target of $50,000.  

Which makes my little $1K look a bit, well, piss-anty. Still, they ARE climbing the highest mountain in Africa whereas I am hurling myself 9km around a spectacularly beautiful track, probably followed by heading off somewhere for a hot shower and a tasty lunch.

But you know what? The Black Dog Institute's work is also incredibly important, and everyone's generosity in donating is so great - I am really grateful. A big thanks to those of you that have donated so far. Fantastic!  All donations big and small are very, very welcome. You can add your 2 cents (or $100K - go on -it's just sitting there in your bank account doing nothing) here.

Something I learned last night: turns out it's not the wine that makes me bid like crazy on silent auction items.  I last had a drink on new year's eve but I also have an incredibly massive David Jones hamper in the boot of the car! So if you want to sample some fancy but totally unnecessary condiments, come to our place over the next couple of months.

Anyway, I encourage you to donate to Tanya and Wendy's mission. They want a cure for cancer, nothing less.

Back to my run, today I did Day 1 of Week 4 of the Couch to 5K: Jog 3 mins, walk 90 secs, jog 5 mins, walk 2.5 mins, jog 3 mins, walk 90 secs, jog 5 mins. Fitness-wise the runs are fine but my right ankle is playing up again - even in the silly shoes. Could have been the bitumen running track.  Scenery was beautiful though - sunrise in the wonderful Centennial Park.

I'm ok, you're ok, walking is ok.

So yesterday I didn't have the opportunity to go for a run. But I did do my first ever walking coaching session with a client.  The idea sprang from an earlier conversation about the links in the body and mind between movement and learning.

We walked around the stunning Sydney botanical gardens.  It was a great coaching session - we both found our brains clicking over much faster than when we're sitting in a still, small room.  And it was a decent workout too. If you're wondering - no, I didn't wear the silly shoes!

I'm staying in Sydney tonight so tomorrow morning should see me running around Centennial Park - yay!

Remember, if you haven't sponsored my run yet (and let's face it, that's the entire world bar one as at now), you can click here and help the Black Dog Institute to do its vital work in mental health!

Procrasti-Yoga

Today, instead of running - and instead of working  (thanks to Rob Hart for the procrastiprefix) - I did a yoga class at the gym in Woy Woy. First one in years. 

This awesome woman is not me but you can read about her here. Her name is Bette Calman, she's 83 and teaches yoga!

Anyway, I'm not a patch on Bette but loved the yoga. Very different from the ashtanga I've tried in the past, and the room was utterly devoid of pretentiousness, which was nice. My fankles* liked it too.

*fat ankles

OMG look at her shoes!

Hi - thanks for taking a look at my running blog. I'm training up for the 9 km Sydney Harbour Bridge run in September. I began running back in about 2006 but then had to stop due to injuries. Some surgery has fixed that but I started from scratch again.

I used a fantastic phone app, Couch to 5K (C25K) which gets you from zero to running for 30 minutes over 9 weeks. It worked so well and I was up to week 8, running for 28 mins. That's about 4.5km. 

Then: shin splints. Ow! Adapted to running on grass which fixed the shin splints but totally buggered my ankles. I had huge, puff ball, painful ankles. It hurt to walk, let alone run. So to maintain fitness I faffed about on the cross trainer at the gym... but REALLY wanted to get back into running.

I did some research into barefoot running. The idea is that we are evolutionarily designed to run barefoot, and that all the enhancements to running shoes these days actually make our gait ineffective, and shortens/atrophies all the wrong muscles and tendons. I was willing to give it a go so invested in a pair of bizarre looking Vibram FiveFingers shoes (see pic below). They are designed to allow the natural movement of your foot while protecting from the road surface.

Having not run for a few weeks, I decided to introduce them gradually. Because the C25K program gets harder week by week, I've decided to try running day 1 of week 1, rest day to see how I feel, then day 1 of week 2 etc. Yesterday I did day 1 of week 3 (jog 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, jog 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes and repeat once) and for the first time my ankles are a little sore again today. I won't have another opportunity to run until Saturday morning, so we'll see how they settle with just some gentle walks over the next couple of days.

All I need to do is get over the self consciousness! As a school bus went past me yesterday, a grop of girls peered out the window in horror and I could see them gasping "OMG! Look at her SHOES!". Yes, I am the freaky lady who runs around our change-averse neighbourhood in duck shoes. But they feel GREAT.